Published on: February 28, 2025
A former Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) cybersecurity official is raising concerns over the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) access to sensitive VA data, warning it could put veterans’ financial and health records at risk.
Jonathan Kamens, who previously led cybersecurity for the VA’s website, was fired last month as part of DOGE’s government restructuring. He believes the agency’s moves will weaken security protections and eventually lead to a major breach.
“The security posture of the site is going to degrade,” Kamens told The Associated Press. “Eventually, I think there will be a security incident resulting from the lack of adequate oversight.”
DOGE, led by Elon Musk, has been eliminating thousands of federal jobs in an effort to cut government spending. Kamens fears the agency could start digging into private VA databases, exposing veterans’ sensitive information.
“I don’t think they should have access,” he said. “These are people who have never been background-checked.”
The VA confirmed that another 1,400 employees were dismissed on Monday, following a previous round of 1,000 firings earlier this month. The move has sparked backlash from Democratic lawmakers and veterans groups, who argue the cuts jeopardize services for the nine million veterans the VA serves.
With nearly 480,000 employees, the VA is one of the largest federal agencies. But as more cybersecurity and administrative staff are let go, experts warn the department’s ability to protect veterans’ data — and its overall security — may be at serious risk.